Merchandise display rack



June 12, 1934. H. A. HAUPTLI MERCHANDISE DISPLAY RACK Filed NOV. 25, 1931 2 SheetS-Sheet l @Mea-mg,

June 12, 1934. H. A. HAUPTLI- 1,962,504

MERCHANDISE DISPLAY RACK Filed Nov. 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 12, 1934 UNITE STATES PATEN OFFICE Herbert A. Hauptli, Chicago,

Sears, Roebuck & Co.

tion of New York Ill., assignor to Chicago, Ill., a corpora- Application November 25, 1931, Serial No. 577,175

6 Claims.

This invention pertains generally to display devices and has particular reference to a display rack adapted to store in plain View a quantity of merchandise and exhibit samples of such merchandise.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a rack adapted to retain quantities of merchandise in a manner to make them readily accessible to attendant and customer, and at the 10 same time display samples of such merchandise 420 and display rack having a removable sample display panel and adjustable shelving and partitioning for the accommodation of varying bulks of merchandise units.

Another object is a display device which enables goods to be seen and. handled without danger of their being stolen. Y

Further, an object of this invention is a display device adapted to facilitate mounting of merchandise on a display panel.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be disclosed in the following description and the attached drawings7 in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts through'- out, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of one form of my improved display rack viewed from its open sides;

Fig. 2 shows the rack of Fig. 1 viewed from its closed side;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View of the display panel viewed as in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the upper portion of the rack and the display panel supporting means;

Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 3 but illustrates the manner in which a different form of merchandise can be aixed to the display panel, and also shows another form of panel support;

Fig. 6 is a detail of the type of display panel 5o shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a view of a type of display framey having a removable panel;

Figs. 8 and 9 are detailed views of another variation of display panel;

Fig. 10 illustrates the manner in which the display frame may be tilted toward the observer better to inspect the display; and

Fig. 11 is a perspective of a type of my improved rack adapted to receive relatively extensive rolls, of goods.

My improved rack is particularly adapted to the display of wall paper and similar goods or merchandise and provides means generally for engaging a sample of the merchandise in a removable frame, which is supported in an attractive manner so as to display the sample to full view, on the upper portion of a rack which is further adapted to accommodate quantities of the merchandise displayed so as to enable a customer, for example, to view the goods in sales units and at the same time to provide a convenient source from which an attendant can readily procure the amount of goods or merchandise a customer might desire.

` The improved rack is further-adapted tov be mounted in groups whereby racks displaying different samples can be stood side by side in attractive manner and, if necessary, firmly secured together. The construction of the racks further facilitates the adjustment of -the shelves and partitions of the storage space so as to accommodate varying bulks of material. I

Referring to Fig. 1, the'rack comprises a frame including a T-angle iron 8 aflixed at its lower extremity by a screw or other suitable means 10 to a bottom plate 12 and having its angularly extended portion 14 uniformly perforated to accommodate adjustably other supporting and/or mounting means such as the cross members 16 which extend to another principalv frame support 18 in the form of a perforated angle iron or strap having a beaded edge 20, and also engaging the cross supports 16 by means of screws 21, the lower extremity 22 of this strip engaging the bottom member 12 by means of screws or other suitable means,` and its upper extremity 24 engaging a cross member 26. The strap or frame supports 18 and 20 are beaded to provide additional structural reinforcement, as well as finished appearance to the rack.

A similar beaded strap 28 extends from another corner 2'7 of the bottom member 12 to engage another cross support 30 which extends at a substantially right angle from a fourth principal supporting member 31, better shown in Fig. 2. A side plate 32 is suitably affixed to the two upright supports 28 and 31, the plate extending the full length of the support 31 along one longitudinal edge and extending along its other longitudinal edge to the length of the supportl 28 so as to provide a slanting lateral edge 34 adapted to register with the edge 35 of the display panel 36.

The display panel 36 may comprise a frame having a rigid back member or plate (not shown) and demountable frame members 38 of any suitable material secured about the back plate at their intersecting extremities 39 by screws or other suitable engaging means.

A combination back and shelf plate 40-41, which may be a single sheet of metal, upset to form back and bottom portions 40-41, is suitably supported from the cross members 26 and 30 in such manner that the back plateY 41 engages the vertical supporting members 3 and 31 to which it may be affixed by screws or welding or the like. The uppermost free edge of the back plate 41 is turned inwardly to form an angular rest 42 adapted to engage the rear uppermost portion of the display panel 36, and the uppermost extremities of the frame supports 8 and 31 are cut transversely as at 43 and 44 to provide a sloping finish. or trim which will approximate the slope of' the display panel to give a finished appearance to this part of the structure.

One form of display panel support is shown in Fig. 3 as an angle iron 46 extended across the' uppermost forward portion of the rack and adjustably engaging the cross members 26, 30 by bolts 47 tted in holes 48.

The cross supports 26 and 30 may be dispensed with by turning down the side edges of the bottom plate 40 to form an engaging surface 49, shown in Fig. 5, by which the bottom plate 40 may be attached to the supports 8 and I8 by bolts or rivets 50. In this case a modified form of dis-- play panel support is used. The angle iron 46 of Fig. 4 is dispensed with and engaging pins 52 (Fig. 6) are fixed in spaced relation along the lower edge of the frame 36 and the bottom plate 40 is provided with suitable holes or slots 54 to engage these supporting pins or legs 52.

Shelving or storage accommodations for the quantities of merchandise displayed are provided by the adjustable shelf plates 55 of Fig. 1, suitably divided by partitions 56. These shelf plates may be attached to the frame supports by any suitable means, but preferably by bolts and nuts to facilitate adjustment.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 I have shown my improved rack displaying and housing quantities of wall paper, while in Figs. 5 and 6 sundry articles of merchandise are shown mounted on the display panel. For the particular facilitation of changing these various types of display I provide variations in display panel structure particularly illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, and 9.

In Fig. 7 the frame 60 comprises three channel members 61, 62, and 63 suitably secured at their intersecting extremities by welding or the like and having the fourth cross member 64 of the frame open on its outermost side to permit the insertion of a display panel 65. With this type of frame, a display of wall paper or cloth for example can be affixed to the removable panel 65 and readily exchanged for another display.

In Fig. 8 a form of panel adapted for the ready mounting of articles, such as tools and the like, is provided in the form of a sheet of relatively thin metal 66 in which are a number of conveniently spaced apertures 67 through which wires securing a display to the panel can be readily passed and secured on the underside of the panel. In order to give the panel rigidity and an appearance of depth, the four edges 68, 69, 70. and 71, of the rectangular sheet are upset and turned inwardly to provide an outer edge 72 and an under edge 73.

Fig. 11 shows a modification of the rack of Fig. 1 in which the structural details are unchanged except that the shelf plates 76 are elongated and have a rectangular portion 74 cut out along the rearmost longitudinal edge adjacent the back panel 75 to accommodate upstanding rolls or generally elongated articles of merchandise 77 while at the same time similar merchandise, such as the roll 78, may be laid lengthwise on the fore part of the shelf.

My invention provides an improved display rack which is easily and inexpensive constructed, attractive in appearance and durable, and adapted to house quantities of merchandise in view of the customer and ready access of the attendant in addition to providing means for attractively displaying the merchandise so housed in plain view of an observer of any height. This display feature of my invention particularly affords access for examination of the sample by a customer, for example, by the simple expedient of tilting the panel forward as illustrated in Fig. 10, or, if desired removing the panel entirely for still closer examination without an attendant likelihood of the samples being stolen. My invention further provides for a ready change of display of any of the several types of goods which the display panel is adapted to receive, furthermore, the racks can be easily associated in linearly extended groups and if desired, firmly secured together.

While I have illustrated and described my invention in particular detail and pointed out specific structural features thereof, I do not wishy to be limited to such details or structure except to the extent set forth in the following claims which I' desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States.

1. A merchandise storage and display rack comprising a principal frame structure having a top plate, adjustable shelving arranged below said plate and providing display compartments, said frame structure being provided with a sloping display panel above said top plate, said panel being pivotally secured along its lower edge to said top plate.

2. A display rack comprising a principal frame structure having an upper end plate, display compartments arranged below said plate, said frame being surmounted by a vertically sloping display panel, said panel having supporting pins extending from a lower edge thereof and said end plate being provided with apertures adaptedv to receive said pins to provide a pivotal mounting for said panel.

3. A display and storage rack comprising an upright rectangular frame structure having top and bottom end plates and shelf members therebetween, and having a side corresponding to the longitudinal dimension of said frame structure extended above the remaining sides, and a display panel supported in sloping position between the uppermost edge of said extended side and the uppermost edge of an opposite side, said top end plate and said shelf structure having coextensive rectangular portions cut away along their longitudinal edge adjacent the extended side of said frame member.

4. A display and storage device comprising a four-sided upright frame structure having one side extended above the remaining sides, and top and bottom end plates, said top plate having therein a plurality of linearly arranged apertures extended in a line parallel with the plane of said extended side of said frame structure, adjustable shelving providing storage compartments between said end plates and a display panel comprising a quadrilateral member having upper and lower edges, said upper edge being engageable with the uppermost edge of said eX- tended side of the frame structure, said lower edge having a plurality of supporting pins extending in spaced relation therefrom and being engageable with said top end plate by the insertion of said extended mounting pins in the apertures in said top end plate.

5. A display device having a body of rectangular horizontal section, top and bottoni members, a vertically extended back portion, shelf members between said top and bottom members, said shelf members having rectangular portions cut away along their longitudinal rearmost edges adjacent said extended back portion, and a display panel removably supported in sloping position between said extended back member and a part of said top member opposite thereto.

6. A merchandise storage and display device for roll goods comprising a rectangular frame structure consisting of two pairs of vertical standards, one of said pairs of standards being longer than the other of said pairs and projecting above the same, cross members for bracing said standards, adjustable shelving for providing various dimensioned compartments within said structure, a top and back plate for said structure comprising a single sheet of metal upset to form top and back portions, the back portion thereof being secured to the projecting part of the longer pair of standards and the top portion being connected to the top end of the shorter pair of standards, and a merchandise display panel slantingly carried by said top and back plates.

HERBERT A. HAUPTLI. 

